Milking machine support structure

ABSTRACT

A retraction device for automatic withdrawal of a milking claw from milking position in an automated system for the milking of cows. The device includes a support arm for a milking claw, a first adjustable connecting linkage for suspending the arm from the wall of a stall and swinging the arm from a milking position underneath the cow to a laterally withdrawn position outside of the stall. Second adjustable connecting means permit the arm to be moved vertically in the milking position, and a single control is provided to move the arm upwardly as it swings out of the stall. The suspension arm preferably provides for pivotal movement about three parallel vertical axes in the milking position so that the milking claw may move freely with the cow while it is vertically supported by the arm.

O United States Patent H 13,593,687

[72] Inventor Douglas Cleg 2.783.737 3/1957 Thomas 119/1454 ga. C3,033,161 5/1962 Babson 119 14.13 p 797857 Primary ExaminerHugh R.Chamblee [22] Filed Feb. 10,1969 A b h b h & S n 451 Patented july20,1971 mmey ac u [73] Assignee Holm Tractor 8: Equipment CompanyPelaluma ABSTRACT: A retraction device for automatic withdrawal of amilking claw from milking position in an automated system [54] MILKINGMACHINE SUPPORT STRUCTURE for the milking of cows. The device includes asupport arm for a milking claw, a first ad ustable connecting linkagefor 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

suspending the arm from the wall of a stall and swinging the [52] 1.5.CI ll.9/l4.l arm f a ilkin osition underneath the cow to a laterally l51 l 07/00 withdrawn position outside of the stall. Second adjustablecon- [50] Field ofSearch 119/14.1- fleeting means permit the arm to bemoved vertically i h l4-54, l4-45 milking position, and a single controlis provided to move the arm upwardly as it swings out of the stall. Thesuspension arm [56] References cued preferably provides for pivotalmovement about three parallel UNITED STATES PATENTS vertical axes in themilking position so that the milking claw 2,136,228 1 1/1938 Babsonetal. l19/14.13 may move freely with the cow while it is verticallysupported 2,775,224 12/1956 Rawson et al 119/14.13 by the arm.

PATENTEU JUL 20 m:

SHEET 1 1F 2 INVENTOR. DUI/6M5 CD566 Mu/z 4% A TTOKNE V5 PATENTED JUL 20197i SHEET 2 [IF 2 T g fl FIE- -5- T ZYZ GG DOUGLAS ATTORNEYS MILKINGMACHINE SUPPORT STRUCTURE SUMMARY OF INVENTION Automated milking barnsare known in the dairy art and one such barn is described in US. Pat.No. 3,246,631 issued to William Z. Holm. As explained in the Holmpatent, it is desirable in such an automated barn to provide automaticmeans for removing the milking claw from a cow when it is determined bysome milk measuring means that the cow has ceased to give milk. Avariety of milk measuring means may be employed for measuring the flowof milk given by the cow such as devices for detecting the milk from itsvolume, weight, temperature, electrical conductivity, density, lighttransmission, pH, or viscosity. The automatic retraction means shown inthe Holm patent for retracting the claw in response to the measuringmeans is a device mounted in the floor of the barn so that it isrelatively difficult to install such devices in milking barns after thebarn has been built.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an im provedmechanism for supporting a milking claw during milking and which mayoperate in response to the milk-measuring means mentioned above toautomatically withdraw the milk ing claw from the cow after the cowceases giving milk as disclosed in the Holm patent.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide such a clawsupport and withdrawal mechanism which may be mounted very simply in amilking barn by attachment to any structural member above the floor suchas the structural members which form the sidewall ofa milking stall.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a mechanism forsupporting the claw beneath a cow during milking and totally withdrawingthe claw from the milking stall after milking so that the claw will beprotected from damage when cows move into and out of the milking stall.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an ap paratus inwhich the position of the milking claw during milking can be adjustedvertically with respect to the floor of the milking stall so that theposition of the milking claw can be adjusted for cows of different size.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide such an ap paratushaving a single electrical switch control to initiate both raising andwithdrawing the claw so that the apparatus can be operated effectivelyin accordance with the Holm patent by operating the single switch inresponse to the measuring means of the Holm patent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description read in conjunction with the attached drawingin which:

FIG. I is a vertical sectional view through a milking stall showing oneembodiment of the apparatus of this invention suspended from a sidewallof the stall;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. II with all of theviews in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 showing the apparatus in milking position insolid line and showing the apparatus in withdrawn position in phantomoutline;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on larger scale showing the interiorparts of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a hydraulic diagram showing hydraulic controls for operatingthe apparatus of FIGS. 1-4, and;

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical controls for thevalves in the hydraulic circuit of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in detail to the drawings, theapparatus illustrated therein is one embodiment of this invention whichis adapted to be suspended from pipe rails 10 which form the sidewallsof a milking stall which has a lloor I2 providing a milking area for acow as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A milking claw 14 is positionedadjacent to the milking stall and provided with a milk conduit 16 bywhich milk may be conveyed away. The milking claw itself may be providedwith a milk measuring means as described above, but preferably theconduit I6 is connected to measuring means I8 by which the flow of milkfrom the cow is determined by measuring the volume ofthe milk flowingthrough line 16.

The claw M is supported on the end of an arm 20 which has an upper rigidsection 22 and a pivoted link 24. The link 24 is pivotally connected tothe arm section 22 by a pivot pin 26 (FIG. 6), and a claw supportbracket 28 is pivotally connected to the link 24 by a pivot pin 30 wherethe pivot pins 26 and 30 are substantially parallel to the upperstraight section of the rigid portion 22 of the arm 20. The claw supportbracket 28 preferably includes a high friction adjustment by which theclaw may be rotated about a horizontal axis, but the claw may be rigidlyattached to the bracket 28.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the upper rigid section 22 of the arm 20 extendstelescopically through a sleeve 32 with a pin 34 extending through thetop of the arm 2Ill supporting the weight of the arm 20 on the top ofthe sleeve 32. A hydraulic cylinder 36 surrounds the sleeve 32, and apiston portion 38 is integrally formed with the sleeve 32 inside thehydraulic cylinder 36 so that the sleeve 32 may be moved longitudinallyof the hydraulic cylinder 36 responsive to the delivery of hydraulicfluid to upper and lower conduits 40 and 42 in caps 44 on the hydrauliccylinder 36. The caps Ml are provided with O-rings as illustrated in aconventional manner.

The hydraulic cylinder is supported on the side rails 10 of the milkingstall by means of a pair of pivoted yolks 46 and 48 which are pivotallyconnected at their outer ends to the hydraulic cylinder 36 at pivot axes50 and 52, respectively. The yolks 46 and 48 are pivotally connected attheir inner ends to a support frame 54 at pivot axes 56 and 58,respectively.

The support frame 54 includes a pair of rods 60 and 62 which areattached by brackets 64 to the pipe 10. As can be best seen in FIGS. Iand 2, each of the brackets 64 is somewhat triangular in shape so thatthe pivot axes 56 and 58 are not parallel to the pipe 10 but instead areinclined inwardly toward the forward end of the stall so that the arm 20and sleeve 32 swing toward the rear of the stall as they swing inwardlytoward the stall. This arrangement permits the claw support structure toenter the stall from a position substantially forward of the cows rearlegs and still enter the area between the rear legs for efficientsupport of the claw during milking.

A second hydraulic cylinder 66 is pivotally connected at one end to theupper yolk 46 by means ofa pivot pin 68 and is pivotally connected atits other end to the frame 54 by means of a pivot pin 70. The hydrauliccylinder 66 contains an internal piston and piston rod as isconventional in the art so that the cylinder will expand and contractresponsive to the delivery of hydraulic fluid to lower and upperconduits 72 and 74, respectively. A threaded rod '76 is pivotallyconnected to the upper yolk 46 by a pivot pin 78 and extends through anapertured boss 80 on the hydraulic cylinder 66 with an adjusting nut 82threaded onto the rod 76 to limit the downward swinging of the linkagewhen the nut 32 engages the boss 80.

As will be apparent from FIGS. I and 2, the apparatus may be operated toswing the support arm 20 and claw 14 from a milking position illustratedin solid line to a retracted position illustrated in phantom outlineresponsive to the delivery of hydraulic fluid to the lower conduit 72 ofhydraulic cylinder 66. Conversely, the arm 20 and milking claw 14 may beswung from the withdrawn position to the milking position by delivery ofhydraulic fluid to the upper conduit 74 of hydraulic cylinder 66.

The position of the support arm 20 and claw M may be adjusted verticallyboth in the milking and withdrawn positions by delivering hydraulicfluid to one or the other of the conduits 40 and 42 on hydrauliccylinder 46. Thus, when the arm 20 is first swung from the withdrawnposition to the milking position, the hydraulic cylinder 36 may then beactuated to adjust the height of the claw M to the height of the udderof the cow to be milked.

The operation of the hydraulic cylinders 36 and 66 is con trolled byconnecting the fluid supply conduits thereof to a conduit 84 which isconnected to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and a conduit 86through which hydraulic fluid is exhausted. it is convenient in theinstallation of this equip ment in a milking barn to connect the conduit84 to the pressurized water supply normally found in such barns and tomerely connect the conduit 86 to any waste disposal or drain. Theconduits 42, 44, 72 and 74 are connected to the conduits 84 and 86 bymeans of solenoid valves 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 which are controlled byelectrical solenoids similarly numbered in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 6, control of the solenoid valves 88-96 is provided bymeans of three relays 98, 100 and 102 which are operated from a sourceof positive voltage by three switches 104, 106 and 108, respectively.The relays 98l02 are conventional two or three arm relays by whichselected two or three of the solenoid valves 88-96 may be operated inresponse to operation of each of the switches l04l-108 as illustrated bythe circuit of FIG. 6. It will be apparent from examination of thecircuit of FIG. 6 that closing of the switch 104 will simultaneouslycause the hydraulic cylinder 66 to contract swinging the arm from theretracted position to the milking position while causing the sleeve 32to move downwardly in hydraulic cylinder 36 to lower the milking claw14. The switch 104 may be operated at the start of any milking cycle orlater in the cycle to lower the milking claw M, it being noted that whenswitch 104 is first closed both of the hydraulic cylinders 36 and 66will respond, but only the hydraulic cylinder 36 will respond after nut82 engages stop 80.

It will be noted from examination of FIG. 6 that operation of the switch106 will cause sleeve 32 to rise in hydraulic cylinder 36 to lift themilking claw l4, and operation of the switch 108 will simultaneouslycause hydraulic cylinder 66 to contract and sleeve 32 to rise incylinder 36 so that the milking claw will be simultaneously movedvertically and withdrawn laterally from the stall. As mentioned above,this switch 108 provides a single control means for simultaneouslyoperating the vertical adjustment and lateral withdrawal so that theapparatus may be used in accordance with the Holm patent by providingany suitable means for closing the switch 108 in response to operationof the measuring means which measures milk flow.

The milking claw l4 mentioned above may be any of the devices whichincludes a cluster of four teat-engaging members used in the art.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and describedin detail herein, it is obvious that many modifications thereof may bemade and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

lclaim: l. in a milking installation having a cow-milking area with afloor and structural support means above the floor and a milking clawadjacent to said milking area for attachment to the udder of a cow insaid milking area, the improved means for supporting said claw whichcomprises:

an elongated arm adapted to be connected to said claw at one end thereofand extending upwardly from said claw;

first adjustable connecting means interconnecting said arm and saidstructural support means for moving said arm between a milking positionwith said claw positioned in said milking area under a cow and awithdrawn position with said claw laterally withdrawn from said milkingarea and positioned vertically above said milking position;

second adjustable connecting means for moving said claw generallyvertically while said arm is in said milking position, and;

control means for operating said first adjustable connecting means.

2. In a milking installation having a cow-milking area with a floor andstructural support means above the floor and a milking claw adjacent tosaid milking area for attachment to the udder of a cow in said milkingarea, the improved means fur supporting said claw which comprises:

an elongated arm adapted to be connected to said claw at one end thereofand extending upwardly from said claw;

first adjustable connecting means interconnecting said arm and saidstructural support means for moving said arm between a milking positionwith said claw positioned in said milking area above said floor and awithdrawn position with said claw laterally withdrawn from said milkingarea, and; second adjustable connecting means for moving said clawgenerally vertically while said arm is in said milking position, inwhich said first adjustable connecting means includes a sleevetelescopically surrounding said arm with said arm rotatable in saidsleeve about a generally vertical axis when said arm is in said milkingposition and in which said arm comprises an elongated rigid portionextending through said sleeve and a link portion pivotally connected tosaid rigid portion at a second pivot axis which is generally parallel tosaid vertical axis with said link portion pivotally connected to saidclaw at a third pivot axis which is spaced away from said second axisgenerally parallel to said vertical axis and said second axis wherebywhen said arm is in said milking position said claw can move freely withsaid cow while receiving vertical support from said arm.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said second adjustable connectingmeans comprises means for raising and lowering said sleeve while saidarm is in said milking positionv 4. The apparatus of claim 3characterized further in that said first adjustable connecting meansincludes pivotal linkage means interconnecting said sleeve and saidvertical support means for swinging said sleeve from a vertical positionin the milking position of said arm outwardly away from said milkingarea to move said arm to said withdrawn position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 characterized further in that said pivotallinkage means of said first adjustable connecting means includes a firsthydraulic cylinder, and said means for raising and lowering said sleevein said second adjustable connecting means includes a second hydrauliccylinder, and said apparatus further includes single control meansconnected to said first and second hydraulic cylinders for operatingsaid cylinders simultaneously to raise said sleeve and swing said sleeveoutwardly from said vertical position.

6. In a milking installation having a cow-milking area with a floor andstructural support means above the floor and a milk ing claw adjacent tosaid milking area for attachment to the udder of a cow in said milkingarea, the improved means for supporting said claw which comprises:

an elongated arm adapted to be connected to said claw at one end thereofand extending upwardly from said claw;

first adjustable connecting means interconnecting said arm and saidstructural support means for moving said arm between a milking positionwith said claw positioned in said milking area above said floor and awithdrawn position with said claw laterally withdrawn from said milkingarga;

second adjustable connecting means for moving said claw generallyvertically while said arm is in said milking position, and;

single control means, adapted to be operated automatically,

and connected to said first and second adjustable connecting means forsimultaneously moving said claw vertically upwardly and moving said armfrom said milking position to said withdrawn position.

1. In a milking installation having a cow-milking area with a floor andstructural support means above the floor and a milking claw adjacent tosaid milking area for attachment to the udder of a cow in said milkingarea, the improved means for supporting said claw which comprises: anelongated arm adapted to be connected to said claw at one end thereofand extending upwardly from said claw; first adjustable connecting meansinterconnecting said arm and said structural support means for movingsaid arm between a milking position with said claw positioned in saidmilking area under a cow and a withdrawn position with said clawlaterally withdrawn from said milking area and positioned verticallyabove said milking position; second adjustable connecting means formoving said claw generally vertically while said arm is in said milkingposition, and; control means for operating said first adjustableconnecting means.
 2. In a milking installation having a cow-milking areawith a floor and structural support means above the floor and a milkingclaw adjacent to said milking area for attachment to the udder of a cowin said milking area, the improved means fur supporting said claw whichcomprises: an elongated arm adapted to be connected to said claw at oneend thereof and extending upwardly from said claw; first adjustableconnecting means interconnecting said arm and said structural supportmeans for moving said arm between a milking position with said clawpositioned in said milking area above said floor and a withdrawnposition with said claw laterally withdrawn from said milking area, and;second adjustable connecting means for moving said claw generallyvertically while said arm is in said milking position, in which saidfirst adjustable connecting means includes a sleeve telescopicallysurrounding said arm with said arm rotatable in said sleeve about agenerally vertical axis when said arm is in said milking position and inwhich said arm comprises an elongated rigid portion extending throughsaid sleeve and a link portion pivotally connected to said rigid portionat a second pivot axis which is generally parallel to said vertical axiswith said link portion pivotally connected to said claw at a third pivotaxis which is spaced away from said second axis generally parallel tosaid vertical axis and said second axis whereby when said arm is in saidmilking position said claw can move freely with said cow while receivingvertical support from said arm.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in whichsaid second adjustable connecting means comprises means for raising andlowering said sleeve while said arm is in said milking position.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3 characterized further in that said first adjustableconnecting means includes pivotal linkage means interconnecting saidsleeve and said vertical support means for swinging said sleeve from avertical position in the milking position of said arm outwardly awayfrom said milking area to move said arm to said withdrawn position. 5.The apparatus of claim 4 characterized further in that said pivotallinkage means of said first adjustable connecting means includes a firsthydraulic cylinder, and said means for raising and lowering said sleevein said second adjustable connecting means includes a second hydrauliccylinder, and said apparatus further includes single control meansconnected to said first and second hydraulic cylinders for operatingsaid cylinders simultaneously to raise said sleeve and swing said sleeveoutwardly from said vertical position.
 6. In a milking installationhaving a cow-milking area with a floor and structural support meansabove the flOor and a milking claw adjacent to said milking area forattachment to the udder of a cow in said milking area, the improvedmeans for supporting said claw which comprises: an elongated arm adaptedto be connected to said claw at one end thereof and extending upwardlyfrom said claw; first adjustable connecting means interconnecting saidarm and said structural support means for moving said arm between amilking position with said claw positioned in said milking area abovesaid floor and a withdrawn position with said claw laterally withdrawnfrom said milking area; second adjustable connecting means for movingsaid claw generally vertically while said arm is in said milkingposition, and; single control means, adapted to be operatedautomatically, and connected to said first and second adjustableconnecting means for simultaneously moving said claw vertically upwardlyand moving said arm from said milking position to said withdrawnposition.